Author: Alex Thompson

Lean What is Purple Drank & Why Is It So Dangerous?

This means you can quickly develop a tolerance and dependence to it. In a nutshell, you’ll need more of it to get the desired effects and feel lousy when you don’t drink it. High amounts of acetaminophen and other drugs can prevent your liver from properly metabolizing chemicals, leading to excessive amounts in your liver. According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), prescription and OTC drugs are the leading cause of acute liver failure. People have been misusing codeine, a main ingredient in lean, for ages, but lean’s prominence in pop culture has made it more popular than ever. The term “lean” comes from the position it tends to put you in after drinking it.

Some high-profile cases of this include the deaths of rappers DJ Screw, Big Moe, Pimp C, and Fredo Santana. Side effects peak 1 to 2 hours after drinking lean, lasting for up to 6 hours, depending on the amount of codeine and promethazine used. The side effects of lean typically set in after 30 to 45 minutes. That said, some people use dangerous amounts of codeine in lean, using more than 20 times the recommended dose. Some people also add other addictive substances to intensify the sedative effects delivered, however, the inclusion of other substances makes lean even more dangerous.

1. Despite Future’s statement, he proceeded to rap about lean on Playboi Carti’s album Whole Lotta Red when he was featured on the song “Teen X”.
2. DXM cough syrup is available without a prescription, but some states restrict the sale of it to people over the age of 18.
3. These lean effects range in severity from mild to severe, and even life-threatening.
4. You may find evidence of lean use in your teen’s backpack, locker or room.
5. At Renaissance Recovery our goal is to provide evidence-based treatment to as many individuals as possible.

Combining these two substances induces a sedative effect, and triggers drowsiness, relaxation, and euphoria. Ingesting too much lean can cause people to stagger or lean, even leading to fatalities in some cases. In the past, a drug called “lean” gained popularity among famous musicians for its sedative properties. It contains codeine cough syrup and can cause users to struggle to stand up due to its impairing effects. However, lean is highly addictive and dangerous because it contains a lot of opioids.

People who have a codeine addiction compulsively seek the drug despite knowing the consequences. Some users may also intentionally misuse promethazine because of its sedative effects. Doing this can trigger an addiction to both promethazine and codeine.

The risk of respiratory depression and coma is increased when lean is taken in high doses or when mixed with alcohol or other drugs. Actavis, the main pharmaceutical company producing codeine-promethazine cough syrup, discontinued production in 2014 due to the syrup’s repeated abuse and connection to overdoses. As a result, very few companies make codeine-promethazine cough syrups now. When soda is mixed with codeine cough syrup to create lean, it often results in a liquid with a purple or pink hue — hence, the name purple drank. However, the reality is that lean can look like almost any color depending on what soda or beverage it was mixed with. Lean is a very sweet drink that blends soda with cough syrup containing codeine.

The Dangers of Drinking Lean

As with other opioids, codeine can relieve pain and make a person feel more relaxed. Adding promethazine to the mix may increase feelings of sleepiness and relaxation. This association was particularly significant for fans of rap and hip-hop. In addition, males and users of other drugs had a much higher chance of using lean. Its public birth took place in the music scene, with musicians including Justin Bieber, Lil Wayne, and the hip-hop group Three 6 Mafia reportedly using or singing about the drug.

When taken in high doses, sizzurp can create a high similar to that of heroin. But it can also lead to a number of physical and psychological health problems. The sweet flavor of other additives, such as soda and candy, can entice users to try the drink, furthering the risk of addiction. As lean slows down activity in the brain and nervous system, taking it with other drugs that have sedating effects can be especially harmful.

Is Lean Addictive?

Opioid rehab centers in the United States employ trained medical professionals experienced in helping clients overcome various opioid use disorders. Lean is made by mixing prescription cough syrup, hard candy, and soda (usually lemon-lime soda). While exact figures don’t appear to be available, drinking lean can and has killed people. The most dangerous of its effects will generally be its ability to suppress breathing, causing the brain to not get enough air. Since codeine is the most significantly addictive element of lean, this approach makes sense. In addition to overdose risk, use of lean also increases your risk of accidental injury and other serious side effects.

Lean, also known as purple drank, sizzurp, barre, and Texas tea, is a mixture of cough syrup, soda, hard candy, and sometimes alcohol. The primary drug in lean is codeine, a prescription opioid-based painkiller that is highly addictive and potentially life-threatening if misused. In the United States, codeine is classified as a Schedule II controlled substance. This means it has some medical utility but a high potential for abuse and addiction.

Side Effects of Lean Abuse

Mixing the substances together or with alcohol can increase the risk for numerous health problems, including death. “Lean” is a slang term for a drink that contains the medications promethazine and codeine. People often combine a cough syrup containing the drugs with soda and flavored candies such as Jolly Rancher. Also known as “purple drank” and “sizzurp,” the beverage can produce feelings of relaxation and euphoria. In addition to codeine, lean also contains promethazine, an antihistamine drug that enhances the sedative effects of codeine when used in combination. Promethazine, like codeine, is a central nervous system depressant.

DXM cough syrup is available without a prescription, but some states restrict the sale of it to people over the age of 18. At Renaissance Recovery our goal is to provide evidence-based treatment to as many individuals as possible. Give us a call today to verify your insurance coverage or to learn more about paying for addiction treatment. Any abuse of lean can have serious and life-threatening consequences.

Users attending parties where drugs may be present should always be cognizant not to drink anything not prepared personally. It’s good to practice vigilance with what you drink in general, as parties are one place where people may be targeted for predatory drugging regardless of whether lean is present. Although popular culture often portrays lean as a harmless, sugary way to spur creative thinking, it is a potent and potentially addictive drug. People who are reluctant to quit and those who have very severe addictions or chronic health problems may need serious medical treatment. Promethazine, a popular additive to lean, intensifies the effects of codeine.

We also treat mental health disorders and opioid addictions that co-occur with mental health disorders. Lean first appeared in the 1960s in Houston, Texas, favored by the local music scene where Robitussin was mixed with beer. The drug rose in popularity again in the late 90s and early 2000s, thanks to artists like DJ Screw and Big Moe.

Respiratory depressants can cause slow and shallow breathing, which can prevent enough oxygen from entering the lungs and cause carbon dioxide to build up in the bloodstream. By 2006, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) had focused on cough syrup abuse throughout the South. Our science-backed approach boasts 95% of patients reporting no withdrawal symptoms at 7 days. Simply put, lean can and has killed people, either through overdose or through accidental injury while intoxicated. People who think that they may have an addiction to lean should seek medical assistance. The high risk of addiction means that lean is not safe as a recreational drug.